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Transcript of Interview |
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| Spangler |
Earlier, you said you want to avoid
churches needing licenses. Are churches registered by the State now in
any way? |
| Sanders |
No. |
| Spangler |
Not in any way? There is not a
registration? They do not have to go to the State to get any kind of
requirements or seek any kind of permission? |
| Sanders |
Well, if they establish a corporation
or a nonprofit corporation, then I suppose there is a registration
requirement for that, but for the most part, churches are certainly not
required to have a license to practice their faith. |
| Spangler |
What about the ministers? Do they need
authorization from the State to perform State-authorized marriages? |
| Sanders |
(Pause) Well, they (clears throat)
have that authorization. |
| Spangler |
The State doesn't give them the
authorization in any way? |
| Sanders |
I'm not absolutely clear on that. I
think that not anybody can just go out and perform a marriage and have
it legally binding. I think that it has to be a legitimate religion and
what the requirements are to establish that you are in fact a pastor or
a priest. |
| Spangler |
I've been curious about that
legitimization. Is it the State that makes it legitimate or is the
Church in and of itself legitimate? |
| Miller |
I'm concerned because Richard (the
supreme court justice being interviewed) married Judy and me and I don't
even know what church he belongs to. (Laughter) |
| Spangler |
Oh, he's the one that married you? |
| Sanders |
Well, my church is down at the Temple
of Justice, Jerry. So I think you are safe there. |
| Miller |
You think we are legitimate? |
| Sanders |
(Laughter) Right. |
| Miller |
And Judy says "Hello" by the
way. And she is still saying "thank you." |
| Spangler |
I was just curious if there is some
way that a church can be a church without being involved with the State
in any way, shape, or form so that they don't have to worry about
additional laws being imposed on them by the State. |
| Sanders |
Well, I think that was the original
idea. |
| Spangler |
Uh-huh |
| Sanders |
I know that in some communities I've
read about -- it kind of depends upon what you mean by a church. But
individuals would sponsor prayer meetings in their home and it would
cause increased traffic in the neighborhood and the neighbors would
object under zoning laws and then try to stop that. I think when the
Constitution says absolute freedom of worship, it means what it says and
that this-- |
| Spangler |
I agree. |
| Sanders |
-- is Constitutionally privileged
activity and that the government always goes, always pushes the envelope
and that's what the courts are for, to say no. |
| Spangler |
Okay, thank you. |
| Miller |
Justice Sanders, thank you so very
much for being with us on the air today and we'll have you back as soon
as we possibly can. You're listening to Republican radio on the air
sponsored by the Snohomish County Republican Party on KRKL AM 1380 Talk
Radio with a Bite. I'm your host Jerry Miller. My co-hosts are Tim
Suitor and Janet Spangler and our very special guest has been Washington
Supreme Court Justice Richard D. Sanders. |
